【Epoch Times, September 29, 2025】According to statistics from the Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China, from January 1st last year to the end of August this year, there have been a total of 188 cases of Taiwanese nationals going missing or being detained for questioning in China. Deputy Mainland Affairs Council Minister Shen Youzhong recently stated at an academic seminar that Taiwan hopes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can provide complete information about detained Taiwanese nationals, but the CCP is often unwilling or selectively provides information.
Shen Youzhong said, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, with the moon shining brightly and round, nothing compares to being reunited with family. The threats from the CCP to the people of Taiwan have resulted in 188 Taiwanese nationals going missing (50 people), being detained for questioning (19 people), suspected of being restricted in personal freedom (119 people), and even cases of being unreasonably detained by Chinese mainland customs and put in cages.
Shen Youzhong emphasized that the number of cases of Taiwanese nationals going missing or being detained for questioning or suspected of being restricted in personal freedom while in China continues to rise. They released these numbers to remind Taiwanese nationals of their personal safety when traveling to China, but unfortunately, some people believe that the Mainland Affairs Council is trying to intimidate them or scare the public. He pointed out that while 50 Taiwanese nationals have gone missing in China, he believes the unreported data is much higher.
He stressed, “There are over 50 Taiwanese nationals missing in China, and we do not know their whereabouts. The government has urged the Taiwan Affairs Office and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits to help investigate, but they often do not respond or are unwilling to provide information to us.”
When asked about the difficulties faced by the Mainland Affairs Council or the Straits Exchange Foundation in communicating with the Chinese side regarding Taiwanese nationals going missing in China, Shen Youzhong replied, “The CCP harasses Taiwanese nationals in various ways. The Mainland Affairs Council first expresses protests and dissatisfaction to let the CCP know that we take this issue seriously.”
Shen Youzhong pointed out that the Mainland Affairs Council discloses these data to make people aware of the situation of Taiwanese nationals going missing in China. They also hope that through communication and dialogue with the CCP, they can handle the situation of Taiwanese nationals in China reasonably, lawfully, and justly. The Mainland Affairs Council hopes that if Taiwanese nationals encounter unreasonable situations, the CCP can release them promptly.
Shen Youzhong said, “However, the regrettable thing now is that the CCP is not very willing to give us information. Sometimes they selectively inform us, such as saying the person is under investigation now, or they will inform us as they continue to understand the situation.”
He stated that the government hopes the CCP can provide complete information about detained Taiwanese nationals and allow their families from Taiwan to visit them in China and assist them in seeking legal assistance. The Mainland Affairs Council hopes that the CCP can engage in dialogue and negotiation with the democratically elected government of Taiwan, as incidents of Taiwanese nationals being detained in China do not contribute to positive cross-strait relations.
Furthermore, the Mainland Affairs Council issued a press release on the 19th, urging religious figures engaging in religious exchanges in China or the general public engaging in various activities in China to be vigilant and enhance awareness of the related risks to personal safety. While China outwardly supports cross-strait religious exchanges, they impose restrictions and obstacles as long as they do not align with their political united front objectives.
In June 2024, the CCP issued the “22 Punishments for Separatists.” Subsequently, the Mainland Affairs Council raised the travel warning for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau to “orange (avoid non-essential travel),” warning that the risks of traveling to China are rising and advising the public to carefully evaluate the necessity of traveling to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau; if necessary, it is important to comply with relevant laws and regulations and conduct a thorough risk assessment.